Tibial lead determination by 99Tcm radiopharmaceutical x-ray fluorescence

The feasibility of measuring tibial lead concentration by x-ray fluorescence with an internal 99Tcm labelled bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical was investigated using phantoms containing known values of lead concentration and 99Tcm activity. The minimum detectable concentration (MDC) at two standard deviations based on the counts in the Kalpha1 peak of 10.9 microg Pb ml(-1) was estimated to correspond to an MDC for an individual within a range of approximately 8-15 microg Pb (g bone mineral)(-1) if the counts from all four K x-ray peaks were included. Due to its much greater dose compared to an external source, the MDC of this internal source technique would have to be reduced before it could be used for measurements of occupationally or environmentally exposed individuals other than as an adjunct for a patient undergoing a bone scan. Methods of achieving such a reduction include increasing the acquisition time and the number of HPGE detectors, and optimizing the design of their collimators.